Luck and Miracles
by MythNLynx
Summary: Sometimes we make our own miracles. Love is the greatest miracle of all. A series of very short chapters. Rated T for language and subject matter. TxT Please R&R! Thanks!
1. Prologue: Boredom

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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_AN: This is a gift for my dear friend and best reviewer-buddy, __SarahNThachter.__ Obviously, this takes place after the end of the manga. Also, this started out as a one shot, but it got away from me and took on a life of its own, so now it's going to be a series of __very__ short chapters. Vignettes, really. Hope you like it._

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Prologue: Boredom_

Four hours. Four hours, and yet, in some ways, they had passed more slowly than those four hellish years. The first two hours had been more painful and stressful than any time she could remember since he came into her life. The last two had been calmer, but with too much time to think and not enough to do. They had insisted she rest until he returned, but every time she closed her eyes, memories played on the screens of her mind, a mind that would not keep still when her body was forced to quiet. Now, four hours were almost up. She couldn't wait to share with him this, the tangible evidence of their love. She fell into reverie once more.


	2. Memory: Home

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Home_

The four years were up, and he was coming home. She was going to meet him at the airport. Would he be glad to see her? She had changed, somewhat, and she supposed he would have, too. He had paid her tuition, as well as her rent and utilities, so that she only need work part-time to cover her food and everyday expenses. The added rest and adequate nutrition agreed with her, and while she would always be slender, her shape was now more womanly than childlike. She had let her hair grow, and it fell in a satiny curtain to her waist. She truly resembled the young Audrey Hepburn that Tsubaki had compared her to when she took her dress shopping, for the dress she promised to wear when she grew up, the dress she chose to wear today.

She stood in the middle of the concourse, scanning the crowd of disembarking passengers. They will always see each other, always find each other, but still her nerves were on edge. Finally she spied him, impeccably clad in a dark business suit, briefcase at his side, a brilliantly crimson tie and matching handkerchief his only concession to his flamboyant fashion sense. Was he always so impossibly tall? His shoulders had become broader, he was no longer a gangly-looking teenager. She approved. She fervently hoped he would feel the same about her.

Their eyes met, and locked. He stopped two feet in front of her, fear and hope writ clear across his features. She breathed his name like a caress. Like a prayer.

"Tsukasa."

From within the circle of his arms, she could vaguely register the murmur of the busy airport surrounding them. He was home. She clung to him with all her strength, enveloped by his scent, his feel, his heartbeat. She was home.

Suddenly he released her, and fell to one knee. She gazed down at him, concerned, until he pulled a Tiffany-blue velvet box from his blazer pocket. Opening the box to reveal a brilliant solitaire diamond flanked by twin rubies set in white gold, he asked, "Tsukushi, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she cried, throwing herself into his arms again. They landed in an undignified sprawl of tangled limbs, tears, and laughter, right in the middle of the concourse. A round of laughter, cheers, and applause echoed back at them from the F3, Yuki, Kazuya, and the Banzai Sisters, who had come to observe the festivities. Tsukushi and Tsukasa didn't care. They were home.

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_AN: For those that don't remember, the Banzai Sisters are Sakurako and Shigeru, because they both tried to win Tsukasa's heart by taking off their clothes!_


	3. Memory: Final Hurdle

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Final Hurdle_

He had insisted upon throwing her a graduation party, where they would also officially announce their engagement. And where she would finally meet his father for the first time. Needless to say, she was nervous, but she wasn't a child anymore. This final year of university had passed in a blur, but at least she was educationally prepared to make it on her own, should his parents still forbid their relationship. She already knew what his mother thought of her. She didn't know what he would do if his father disapproved of her. He had spent the last five years devoted to the Doumyouji Corporation; would he still choose her if he were forced to choose? She steeled her nerve, pulled her poise around her like armor, and took his arm.

He led her over to an elegantly handsome gentleman in his mid-fifties. "Father, please permit me to introduce to you Makino Tsukushi, the woman I wish to marry, the only woman of whom I approve."

She bowed respectfully to the older man. "I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Doumyouji-sama," she stated graciously, somehow managing not to cower under his intense scrutiny. 'So this is what Tsukasa will look like in thirty years,' she thought, noting the uncanny resemblance between the two.

The elder Doumyouji looked her over for another moment or two, then his stern features relaxed into a warm smile. "The pleasure is mine, Makino-san," he said, returning her bow. Then he said to his son, "Well, Tsukasa, I must say that I'm pleasantly surprised. She is nothing as I was led to expect by your mother, and every bit as charming as Tama and your sister said she would be." He then turned back to Tsukushi. "Forgive me, Makino-san, but when I received word of how fervently my children and household adored you, and yet how vehemently my wife despised you, I felt the need to have you investigated myself."

She nodded understandingly. "If you don't mind my asking, Doumyouji-sama, what did your researchers find?"

"Actually, I found their research very enlightening," he replied. "Apparently, despite your family's poor financial circumstances, you are a young woman of excellent character and breeding. You are industrious, brave, thrifty, selfless, and have a strong moral compass. You meet adversity head-on, are true to yourself, and are loyal to a fault. And apparently, you love my son here without reservation, with no thought to his family name or fortune. In fact, it would seem that you have repeatedly refused my wife's offers of financial recompense, if you would agree to leave him, despite the direness of your family's poverty. I'm afraid my own marriage is one of financial advantage and, as such, my wife truly has no understanding of the bonds of love and friendship. I am glad that my son has been rescued from a similar fate." He turned back to Tsukasa. "I approve of her, too. Don't worry, I'll handle your mother. You two go and enjoy your party."

She looked on, eyes shining, as Tsukasa embraced his father. "I approve." Those words made a world of difference.


	4. Memory: First Step

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: First Step_

The bouquet in her hands trembled and shook like leaves in a rainstorm. He had wanted roses, dozens of them, red as blood. Like the ones he had once filled her and her brother's apartment with. She had argued with him, saying that she felt that Stargazer lilies were more appropriate for the two of them. That had made him laugh. In the end, they had compromised. The chapel, and the bouquet in her nervous clutch, was filled with Stargazer lilies, roses of a deep fuchsia pink, and daisies, daisies everywhere one turned, happy little weeds like captured sunshine.

She was so proud of him, the way he stood up to his sister. There was a certain amount of pomp to be expected, this was, after all, _the _wedding, the marriage of the Doumyouji Corporation's only male heir. But when Tsubaki started calling in designers, saying that she wanted a gown for her soon-to-be sister like the one Julie Andrews wore as Maria Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, Tsukasa put his foot down. "No."

Tsubaki continued dithering about as if he'd said nothing. "No," he stated again, "that won't do."

She stopped speaking, and narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. "_What_ won't do, Otouto-kun?"

"A gown like that isn't right for Makino. It isn't her," he insisted firmly.

"I see. Then what do _you_ suggest, _Dear_ Brother?" she asked in her most saccharine tone.

"Something elegant but simple. None of that seed-pearls-and-lace frou-frou crap. And nothing that will make her trip and fall on her face, like a long train. I love her dearly, but you know how accident-prone she is. This is supposed to be _her_ day. Let's not embarrass her more than necessary."

Tsubaki eyed him speculatively. "You know, Otouto-kun, for once you make sense."

"What do you mean?? I _always_ make sense!!" he protested...

So it was that she stood in the knave in a white gown that barely brushed the floor behind her, simple and charming as a buttercup, a circlet of blossoms crowning her silky tresses. No veil, he had insisted. He didn't want to take the chance that his mother might try to switch brides on him at the altar. They would enter into the bond of marriage with their vision clear, their eyes open.

The aisle seemed to stretch endlessly before her, and she nervously clutched the arm of her teary-eyed father. Then the opening chords of the processional sounded, and all she could see was his radiant smile as he waited for her at the altar. For once, she wasn't late. She stepped forward, the first step toward the start of her new life as Doumyouji Tsukushi.

"I do, Tsukasa, I do!"

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_AN: Incidentally, I don't own __The Sound of Music__, either. But Maria's train stretched almost the full length of a cathedral aisle-- wow! Also, Jewish wedding tradition does not cove the bride's face with a veil, because that's how Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah before he could marry her sister, Rachel. So, yeah, brides have been switched at the altar before!_


	5. Memory: Hands Off!

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Hands Off!_

She got up out of bed and stretched. She had always been an early riser, but recently, she felt achy and out of sorts, and couldn't seem to get enough rest.

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped themselves about her, large hands cupping her breasts. Instead of snuggling back into her husband's embrace, as was her wont, she pulled away abruptly and turned on him, snarling.

"Haven't I told you to warn me when you're going to do that? We may be married, but they're still _mine!_ Don't touch things without permission!" she snapped.

"What, should I say 'I'm going to touch your boobs now'?" he challenged.

"Yes! No! I mean-- Damn it, why do you always call them _'boobs'_, anyway?!?" she sputtered, exasperated.

"Christ, you're touchy! Are you premenstrual or something?" he asked.

"How the hell should _I _know??" It was true. Due to hardship and malnutrition, her cycle had been irregular, at best, and although most of her problems had been resolved, her periods were still rather unpredictable. Suddenly, she grew teary-eyed. "I'm sorry, Tsukasa. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just, I don't know, maybe I pulled a muscle or something, but they _hurt!_ They're _really_ tender to the touch. Maybe I am premenstrual, I feel like I'm on an emotional seesaw," she sniffled.

Tsukasa sighed, wrapping her in his arms once more. "It's okay. You're probably just stressed out because I'm going back to New York for a month. Look, if they still hurt in a couple of days, have yourself checked out by the family physician. In the meantime, come back to bed. I promise to be gentle, but I want to say a proper goodbye to my wife."


	6. Memory: Sick?

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Sick?_

It had been a long, lonely month. Thankfully, most of his responsibilities could be managed from Tokyo, so trips to New York were an infrequent, but necessary, evil. Still, he had gotten a lot accomplished. He didn't owe The Company near as much as it owed him. It niggled at him that she hadn't tried to call him while he was away. That was unlike her. Calls to the house had assured him that she was well, and no, she hadn't run straight to Rui when he left, despite his fears. He would just have to ask her when he got in. There was never any telling what was going on in that funny little head of hers.

He had hoped she would meet him in the foyer when he came home, but such was not the case. Tama informed him, with an enigmatic smile on her face, that the young mistress could be found in the East Wing. He never knew what was up with that old granny, anyway, so he went in search of his wife.

He found her in the master bath, huddled over the toilet, retching her guts out and looking thoroughly miserable. "Tsukushi!" he gasped, rushing to her side. "Why didn't Tama tell me you were sick?"

"I'm not sick," she groaned weakly, then bent double over the porcelain bowl as she was wracked by another wave of nausea.

"Bullshit," he said gently, holding her hair aside and rubbing her back until the spasm passed. "How long has this been going on?"

"About two weeks," she answered, leaning back against him with a sigh.

"Two weeks?!?" he looked at her, aghast. "Didn't you tell anyone? Have you seen a doctor???"

"Yes, I told Tama, and yes, I saw the doctor. I'm fine," she assured him.

"You are _not_ fine, not if you've been sick for two weeks. Why didn't Tama call me? For that matter, why didn't _you_ call me the entire time I was away?"

"I wouldn't _let_ Tama call you. And as for me, I _did_ call you, every day, sometimes two and three times! But every time I tried, that _bitch_ you call a personal assistant, _Heather,_ would tell me, 'I'm sorry, Mr. Doumyouji is in a _very_ important meeting and is not to be disturbed. No, I really couldn't say when he'll be through, he's _very_ busy. Yes, I'll tell him you called,' and then _you_ never called back," she replied accusingly.

Tsukasa cursed softly. "Damn it, I should have known something was up. On my last day in town, I told her to be sure that the jet was ready for my departure that evening. She plopped her bony ass down on my lap and purred, 'Mr. Doumyouji, why don't you forget about returning to Japan? You can do so much more for The Company here. I can make it worth your while,' then she tried to plant her nasty, greasy lips on my face!"

"And?" Tsukushi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"_And_ I dumped her bony ass on the floor and told her to go empty her desk! But I should have realized you would try to keep in touch. I'm sorry," he apologized earnestly. Then, his brows knit in consternation, he picked her up carefully and carried her back to the bedroom. He set her gently on the bed and sat beside her, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. "But why would the doctor say you're fine if you've been sick for two weeks? Perhaps you should see a specialist."

She reached up to ruffle his curls, a small smile on her face. "Silly, I _am_ fine. And I _am_ seeing a specialist, one of the best for cases like this, Soujiro's brother, Dr. Nishikado Shouichiro. He assures me that everything is progressing normally."

Tsukasa looked stunned. "Shouichiro? But isn't he--?"

"That's right, baka," she grinned. "I'm pregnant."

He got up from the bed, a blank look on his face, and left the room. She couldn't help but giggle when she heard a loud shout from the hall, "Yes!!! I did it!!! I'm gonna be a dad!!!"

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_AN: Artistic license-- we never do find out what sort of doctor Soujiro's brother becomes, but I took a certain perverse pleasure in making him an OB/GYN. It was more fun than using some random nameless NPC (non-player character, for you non-gamers). He gets paid to look up skirts for a living! (Yes, I know there's much more to it than that, more important aspects, but indulge a dirty old lady...)_


	7. Memory: Goddess

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Goddess_

"Ugh, the things they don't tell you about pregnancy," she groaned as she waddled back from the bathroom for the third time that night.

"Come back to bed, beautiful," he coaxed, patting the mattress beside him.

"Yeah, beautiful, right. I look like I swallowed a basketball!" she complained, sitting awkwardly in front of her vanity and picking up her hairbrush.

He came up behind her and enfolded her in his arms. "Yeah, you look like you swallowed a basketball, you sit like a truck driver--hey!" he exclaimed as she gave his hair a hard yank, "_and_ you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he stated, gazing at her adoringly.

Tears welled in her eyes as she smiled up at him. Then she gave a light gasp, and pulled his hand to her swollen belly. "Feel here, the baby's kicking!"

Gently, he kissed the top of her head. "You look like a goddess."


	8. Memory: Practice

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Practice_

"Tell me again why we're sitting on the floor, with all these other couples, while all you women puff and blow like the horn section of the Imperial Orchestra?"

"I told you, Tsukasa, it's so we're ready for when the baby comes," she explained patiently for the fourth time.

"But I don't get it. Why go through all this? Why don't we just schedule a C-section and not worry about all this?" he asked, puzzled.

"As I said before, it's better for both the baby and me if we do this naturally. It'll help the baby's lungs mature, and I'll recover faster from natural childbirth than I would from surgery," she told him.

"Okay, okay... But why do _those two_ have to be here?" he said, pointing to Yuki and Shigeru, who were diligently taking turns puffing and counting. _"They're_ not expecting."

"I want a backup team, just in case. Suppose you get called away on business and I go into labor?" she pointed out.

"I already cleared my schedule for the next two months, just so I could take care of you and the baby. Don't you trust me?" he wondered, looking hurt.

She smiled up at him. "Of course I trust you. But things sometimes happen. Isn't it better to have someone we trust for backup? Would you rather have Akira and Soujiro? Or Rui?" she teased.

Tsukasa turned slightly green, remembering all the times the two playboys had enacted scenes to demonstrate how he should have gone about winning Tsukushi's heart (or at least getting into her pants). And the thought of Rui being the one to support her at this most crucial moment made him see red. He thought of suggesting Nee-chan as backup, then stopped himself, realizing that her frivolous, romantic nature was better suited to decorating the nursery and selecting the layette, tasks to which she had already appointed herself.

"Okay," he conceded, "Yuki and Shigeru it is. Although why Monkey Girl felt she had to wear that fake belly is beyond me," he said, rolling his eyes.

Tsukushi giggled. Shigeru always did take things a bit too far, Yuki could be trusted to keep her in line. "Don't call her Monkey Girl," she said automatically, almost by reflex.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied. Then he gave her a serious look. "You do know you can rely on me, don't you?"

She nodded back. "I'm counting on it."


	9. Memory: Let's Go!

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Let's Go!_

"Tsukasa. Tsukasa." She reached over and shook his shoulder.

"Aw, hon... Why won't you let one of the servants get you some warm milk," he groaned. "Why do _I_ always have to do it?"

"Baka," she chided gently, "I don't want milk. But you have to get up now. It's time."

"Time for what?" he mumbled, still half asleep.

"It's time to go to the hospital. I've already rung Tama, and she's getting my bag ready and having the driver bring the car."

"The hospital? _WHAT???_ The baby's here???" He bolted upright, panicked.

"Of course not!" she laughed, "Not yet! But it will be, sometime in the next few hours. Now get dressed."

There were a few minor mishaps while getting ready. First, Tsukasa couldn't find matching socks, then Tsukushi refused to wear any of the pretty maternity dresses that he had bought her to the hospital. ("They're not practical. I'd just end up changing into a hospital gown.") In the end, she wore loose drawstring shorts and his shirt from the previous day.

"But it's dirty!" he objected.

"I know. But it smells like you. I like it, it makes me feel loved," she said simply, a small smile on her face as she wrapped it around herself.

"Baka." He made a little face, but secretly, he was touched. And that was the end of that argument.


	10. Memory: Killing Time

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Killing Time_

They arrived at the hospital, where they were registered and booked into the maternity suite. Shigeru and Yuki arrived half an hour later. Aside from occasionally being hooked up to a fetal monitor, there really wasn't much for Tsukushi to do during early labor. The four of them played a few hands of cards, then Tsukasa took her for a stroll around the hospital grounds, to try to encourage the labor to progress. When they got back to the suite, she was feeling a little achy, so the nurse midwife encouraged her to go sit in the Jacuzzi for a while.

She leaned back with her eyes closed, letting the water jets provide welcome counter-pressure on her back. Suddenly she heard a little splash as someone got into the tub with her. She opened her eyes. "Shigeru? How did you get in here?"

"I told them I was your doula," the high-spirited girl grinned. "I never got to take a bath with a pregnant lady before! Besides, look what _I've_ got!" she exclaimed.

"What _are_ those?" Tsukushi asked, staring at the fistful of colorful, candle-like objects clutched in Shigeru's fist.

"They're soap crayons!" she explained, and proceeded to draw funny faces and flowers all over Tsukushi's belly. The girls giggled together as the warm water soothed Tsukushi's aches and pains, and finally they headed back to the room, laughing as they compared their pruney toes and wrinkly fingers.

Yuki helped Tsukushi balance on a birthing ball while Tsukasa kneaded strong fingers into her lower back and Shigeru offered her sips of ginger ale. Suddenly, there was an audible 'pop' and Tsukushi gave a small gasp. Blood-tinged amniotic fluid gushed forth to pool around her feet. Tsukasa blanched, and his eyes rolled back in his head. Down he went, his head hitting the floor with a loud 'smack'. As nursing staff carted him off to the emergency room on a gurney, Tsukushi screamed and clutched Yuki's hand, almost breaking it as the first pain of hard labor hit her. The longest four hours of her life had begun.

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_AN: Labor is different for everyone. Usually contractions are not scream-worthy until close to the end, but Tsukushi was also dealing with the stress of not knowing if Tsukasa was alright, so she can be forgiven a little melodrama. And yes, sometimes there __is__ and audible 'pop' when the water breaks, but not always._


	11. Memory: Bastard!

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Bastard!_

"Moron!" she cried, panting hard.

"Breathe, Tsukushi-chan, just breathe," Yuki encouraged.

"Fainting coward!" she bawled as she shuddered through another pain, sweat dripping down her face.

"That's it, Tsukushi, you tell him!" Shigeru grinned from behind her digital camcorder. "I'm getting it all for posterity!"

"Where _is_ he? I'm going to _castrate_ him!!!" she snarled between contractions. "He better hope this child is a boy, or else the Doumyouji line ends here! I am _never_ doing this again!!!"

"Tsukushi, calm down. Save your energy for pushing," Yuki reminded her. "Besides, they have to keep him for observation. He may have a concussion."

"If he doesn't now, he will when I get through with him! _Doumyouji!!!"_ she screamed as another pain crested. _"You_ did this to me, you bastard son of a whoremonger! I _hate_ you!!!"

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_AN: Women say funny things during Transition. Some even do things like packing their stuff and trying to tell the nurse midwife that they're going home now, someone else can have this baby. (Yeah, that was me.)_


	12. Meanwhile: Ouch

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Meanwhile: Ouch_

Out in the hall, Akira and Soujiro winced, while Rui rolled on the floor with laughter. They had just come from checking on Tsukasa in the ER. He was fuming and ranting about causing people bodily harm and withdrawing funding from the hospital, all because he was missing the birth of his first child. Two huge orderlies had restrained him, shackling him to the gurney. Finally a doctor had ordered a mild sedative, deciding that the benefits outweigh the risks, and Tsukasa has subsided into foul-tempered muttering. The guys had come to give Tsukushi the news, but upon hearing her swearing like a sailor, decided that perhaps it could wait.

Suddenly Soujiro snagged his brother, Shouichiro, as he headed past down the hall. "Hey, Nii-san, how's Makino doing?"

"Makino...? Oh, you mean Doumyouji-sama! She's doing fine, everything is coming along nicely. She's in Transition now, but should be ready to push almost any time now. She's fully dilated," he explained.

"Is that why she's calling Tsukasa every name in the book, and a few extra?" Akira wondered aloud.

Nishikado Shouichiro chuckled. "Yup, that would be why. Don't worry, it's normal. If she remembers it at all, she'll probably be very embarrassed later. Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have other patients to attend to."

"Oh, okay, Bro. Sorry to hold you up. Catch you later," Soujiro waved. Then he turned back to Akira. "Tsukasa should be grateful he's missing this. I think those are parts he'd like to hold on to."

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_AN: That's right, guys. Duck and cover. Transition is... interesting._


	13. Memory: Home Stretch

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Memory: Home Stretch_

"Okay, wait for the next contraction... Now push!... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... and relax! Breathe normally, breathe, that's it," the nurse midwife coaxed. "Ready, and... push!... 2... 3... 4... that's it! Keep pushing! I can see the baby's head... and relax. Okay, one more time should do it, Doumyouji-sama, and... Push!... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... keep going!... 9... come on, this is it!... and... yes! We have the head out! Breathe, breathe... now, once more and we should have a baby here... and... push... push... keep pushing... and congratulations, Doumyouji-sama, it's a boy!" she said, placing the baby on Tsukushi's belly.

"Oh my, look at all those curls!" Yuki exclaimed. "Everyone will know whose son _he_ is!"

"Ew, he's all red and wrinkly!" Shigeru exclaimed. "And sticky, too!"

"I know, isn't he beautiful?" Tsukushi gazed at the baby in wondering adoration. It was love at first sight. Just then, he opened his perfect little bow-shaped mouth and began to wail.

"Sounds just like his daddy, too," Shigeru smirked.

Tsukushi calmly brought the little one to her breast, where he latched on like a pro. "And I can shut him up the same way, too!" she grinned.

"I did _not_ need to know that," Shigeru grimaced, while Yuki giggled.

Dr. Nishikado interrupted the girl's banter. "Excuse me, Doumyouji-sama, but we need you to push once more, to expel the placenta. Then we'll take him and clean him up and weigh him, then he's all yours. It's a shame the father can't be here to cut the umbilical cord."

"Ooh, can _I_ do it?" begged Shigeru. At Tsukushi and Shouichiro's nods, she handed Yuki the camcorder and took the scissors. "Hey, Tsukasa, this one's for you!" she cried, slicing through the cord.

Soon the baby was cleaned, swaddled and back at his mother's breast. "Do you want any visitors?" Yuki asked, caressing the baby's silky curls.

"Actually, I'd like to wait for Tsukasa. He really should see him first," Tsukushi smiled exhaustedly.

"Okay, I'm on it! From this moment, no one except hospital staff gets in here! Get some rest, Tsukushi! Bye-bye, Baby D!" Shigeru called over her shoulder, dragging Yuki out the door with her.

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_AN: Many, many babies do not nurse well at first. It's part instinct, but part learned behavior. It's damn frustrating for Mom, too, especially when people frequently remind them how much easier it is to use a bottle. It's not, it's just less embarrassing. Breasts do not need to be sterilized or cleaned with special brushes, they don't get dropped on the floor by accident, and they're usually not empty when baby's hungry. They need no prep, just whip 'em out. (Can you tell I'm very pro breastfeeding?)_


	14. Finally: Hi Dad!

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Finally: Hi Dad!_

Two hours and many memories later, Tsukushi found out just what Shigeru had meant when she said 'I'm on it!' Her heart leapt when she heard Tsukasa's voice on the other side of the door, but then she had to struggle not to laugh out loud at the conversation that followed.

"What do you _mean,_ I can't go in there? Do you _know_ who you're dealing with???"

"Perhaps if the young man would present some identification?" an unfamiliar voice responded.

"ID??? I'm _Doumyouji Tsukasa!_ And that is _my_ wife and child in there!!! Tell him, Misawa!" he demanded.

"I'm sorry, young master, but we have strict orders--" Misawa began apologetically.

"Damn it, I want to see my _wife!!!"_

"Sir, if you do not desist, I'll have to Taser you," the unfamiliar voice stated firmly.

"_Monkey!_ This is all _your_ doing, isn't it!!!" Tsukasa bellowed.

"Please, young master! This is a hospital! We only ask for your identification because there have been imposters before. Remember Kunisawa Amon?" Misawa reminded him.

Tsukasa sighed heavily. "Here," he muttered sullenly, "will this do?" He apparently received a silent affirmative. "Fine. May I see my family _now?"_

The door opened and Tsukasa flew to Tsukushi's bedside. "Makino? Are you alright? How's the baby? What did we have? May I see? Ohmigod, I'm _so_ sorry! I missed it all! Damn it!"

She couldn't help but laugh at him. "Baka! I haven't been 'Makino' for a couple of years now! Calm down, it's okay, we're both fine, and Shigeru taped the whole thing for you, so maybe now you'll stop calling her 'Monkey'? Here, now, sit down." He sat on the edge of the bed, hard. "Tsukasa, I'd like you to meet your son... and if you dare shout and scare him, I'll have your sister bind you up with duct tape and fly you to New York!" She handed him the baby.

He had that blank look again, so much so that for a moment she feared he might drop the child. But then he snapped into sharp focus again, his world narrowing to nothing more than him and his newborn son. "Hey there, little guy. I'm your daddy," he crooned softly. The baby yawned hugely, the stared solemnly up at his father out of dark slate-blue eyes that hadn't yet found their true color. Tsukasa stared back in wonder as the baby yawned again. "Hey, Tsukushi, he has your big mouth," he chuckle quietly. He cuddled his son close to his chest, tears of joy leaking from beneath his closed eyelids. Then he kissed the baby's downy head and handed him back to his wife.

"He's beautiful, isn't he," she said, more a statement than question, as she took the sleepy baby form him and, without even a blush, settled the little one at her breast.

"Hey, you, those are mine," he teased.

"Not anymore, they aren't," she teased back. "It's a small price to pay for something so precious, don't you think?"

"Well..."

"Tsukasa!"

"Okay. But I'm only loaning them to him, alright?" he said, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Deal," she agreed, snuggling into his warmth.

"So, did Mon-- I mean, Shigeru _really_ record everything for me?" he asked hopefully.

"Everything... Uh, I wouldn't show that tape to your parents, though. I'm afraid I said some rather awful things... some of them concerning your parentage... and your mother, at least, would say that it just proves what she's thought all along, that I'm a sewer rat."

"Who gives a rat's ass what the old hag thinks?" he retorted.

"Actually, _I_ do," she replied softly.

"You do???" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, well... A child _should_ have a good relationship with his grandparents, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess... So, any thoughts about what to name the little sprout?"

Tsukushi blushed a little. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to name him 'Tsuyoshi'."

"'Strong'? Yeah, he'll have to be strong to put up with a stupid couple like us for parents," he grinned.

"_Someone_ I know once told me that we're a _great_ stupid couple, she smiled back. "And we'll be great oyabaka, too."

"Doumyouji Tsuyoshi... Yes, I like the sound of that," he mused. "Let's call him that."

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_AN: Most newborns' eyes are sort of blue-grey, and don't come into their true color for a couple of months. For those who haven't encountered the word, __**oyabaka**__ are parents who are foolishly over-fond of their children, doting on them excessively._


	15. Visitor: Rui

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Visitor: Rui_

A gentle tap came at the door. "Hey, guys," a soft male voice called, "you up for some visitors?"

"Give us a moment, Rui," Tsukasa called back. Then he turned to Tsukushi. "Put your boobs away," he hissed.

"Tsukasa! _Must_ you always be so crude?!"

"Look, I don't care _what_ you call 'em, just _stow_ 'em!" he whispered, glancing at the door.

"Well, it's not like he hasn't already seen them before," she huffed.

"I _know._ He got to see you naked before _I_ ever did. I'm _still_ not too happy about that," he growled.

"It was an accident! Would you rather I had drowned?" she protested.

"I would _rather_ have gotten there _first! _You know, the first time _I_ saw you naked, it was an accident, too. Tell me, has anyone _else_ seen you naked 'by accident'?" he demanded.

"Don't be stupid! _Must_ you harp on ancient history? Besides, if I'm going to breast feed our son, it's likely that _all_ of our friends will see, at some point or other, no matter _how_ careful I am!" she pointed out.

"You'd _better_ be careful! I don't want those perverts seeing your boobs!" he shouted. Tsukushi looked mortified as she quickly covered herself.

"They'll just be shocked to know she has them," Rui chuckled as he walked in clutching a huge bouquet of yellow roses and daisies, and a small brown teddy bear. "You know, everyone out in the hall can hear you." He placed the flowers in a vase on the bedside table, then leaned over and kissed Tsukushi on the cheek. This earned him a brief glare from Tsukasa, who by now was used to, if not exactly approving of, his best friend's familiar behavior with his wife.

Rui tossed the bear to his best friend. "Here, Tsukasa, this is for the little nipper."

Tsukasa studied the small plush toy. "Hey, this looks a lot like that bear you used to--"

"Yeah, it's the same type, but smaller. Kind of like its little brother. Do me a favor, try not to rip the head off this one," he gently teased.

"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?" Tsukasa muttered.

"Sure I will... just as soon as you apologize," Rui smiled like the cat that ate the canary.

"Fine..." he replied, blushing a little and looking away, "I'm... sorry. I'm sorry I ripped up your bear when we were kids." He looked Rui in the eye. "Can we drop it now? Please?"

"Of course. That's all I ever wanted, anyway," he said. "So, can I meet the new addition to the family?"

Tsukushi plucked the baby from his bassinet. "Hey, sweetie," she cooed, "you've got a visitor." She looked up at Rui, giving him a radiant smile. "So, Uncle Rui, would you like to hold him?"

"_Uncle_ Rui?" he asked, surprised, as he reached for the tiny infant.

Tsukasa blushed, while Tsukushi just beamed at him. "Um, well, yeah," he hemmed and hawed, "after all, ahem, you _are_ my best friend."

"Okay, Uncle Rui it is." He gently stroked the baby's soft cheek with his finger. He watched, fascinated, as the infant began making fussy little 'huh, huh' noises and nuzzling his face into Rui's palm. "Tsukushi, what's he doing?" he asked, puzzled.

Tsukushi laughed softly. "That's called the 'rooting reflex.' When you stroke a young baby's cheek like that, he thinks it's time to nurse and goes looking for his mother's breast. As I said, it's a reflex. He shouldn't be hungry yet, so if you stop petting his face, he should settle down."

Tsukasa stared at his wife in amazement. "When did you manage to learn all this stuff?"

"Baka," she chuckled affectionately, "if you'd been paying attention during parenting and childbirth class, you'd know 'all this stuff' too."

"I did _too_ pay attention! I know all about back labor and counter-pressure and timing contractions and everything!" he protested.

"And a fat lot of good _that_ does if you pass out!" she countered.

Rui laughed out loud, startling the baby in his arms. "Who'd have thought that the Great Doumyouji Tsukasa would faint at the sight of blood?"

"But it's not like it was just anyone's blood-- it was _hers!"_ Tsukasa whined.

"There wasn't even all that much blood; it was mostly water," Tsukushi grumbled.

"Still," Rui observed, "when you got stabbed, Tsukasa, not only did Tsukushi _not_ faint, she carried you on those scrawny little shoulders of hers."

"I am _not_ scrawny!" Tsukushi snapped at Rui. "And if I wasn't so exhausted, I'd kick your ass!"

"Pfft! Okay, okay, don't hit me while I'm holding your son!" he said. "By the way, have you chosen a name for him?"

"We're calling him Tsuyoshi," Tsukasa answered, beaming with pride.

"Sticking with family tradition, eh?" Rui asked.

"Actually, it was Tsukushi's idea," he responded. "I just gave it my stamp of approval."

"It's nice," Rui nodded. "Well, I should probably give some other visitors a turn. Shigeru's SP is being very strict, only allowing a couple of people in at a time, and checking IDs." He handed the baby back to Tsukushi with another kiss, then pulled Tsukasa into a firm embrace. "Congratulations, man. He's beautiful. You guys deserve the best."


	16. Visitors: Akira and Soujiro

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Visitors: Akira and Soujiro_

Akira and Soujiro came in next. "So, how's the happy family?" Akira asked, tying a balloon bouquet, with a big, blue 'It's a Boy!' balloon in the center, to the corner of Tsukushi's bed.

"Tired, but good, really good," Tsukushi answered.

Soujiro handed Tsukasa a bottle of single-malt Scotch and a box of cigars. "Here you go, old man. Congratulations!"

"Soujiro, you know I don't smoke! Tsukushi would kill me if I started!"

"I know, I know! Don't worry, man, they're chocolate!"

Tsukushi giggled. "Thank you both, guys. That was sweet of you. Would you like to see the baby?"

"Oi, Makino, we had hoped you would be feeding him when we came in!" Soujiro answered.

"What if she _can't_ feed him, Soujiro? Its not like she has much to work with, you know," Akira commented.

"Gee, that's true... You're not gonna let that poor little baby starve, are you? Tsukasa, you should hire a wet-nurse, just in case," Soujiro teased. "A sexy, _busty_ wet-nurse!"

"I am _perfectly_ capable of feeding our son myself!" Tsukushi objected. "It's not the size, it's how you use them, after all!"

"Heh, heh. Tsukasa's still feeding you that line, eh?" Soujiro sniggered, waggling his eyebrows lasciviously.

"Damn you, Soujiro, I'll _kill_ you!!!" Tsukasa roared, putting Soujiro in a headlock.

Akira sat on the edge of the bed. "Here, Tsukushi. While those two idiots beat each other bloody, I'll take a look at the little fellow," he offered, reaching into the bassinet.

"You look pretty comfortable holding him," Tsukushi noted.

"Yeah, well, I was almost fourteen years old when my sisters were born, so I've had a lot of practice."

"That's right. How are Emu and Memu?" she asked, smiling at the thought of the pretty twins.

"They're fine," he replied, ruffling the baby's silky curls. "Memu has been a handful in particular. Remember how they both used to say that they were going to marry me when they grew up? Well, Memu decided that if she couldn't marry me, then she wanted to _be_ just like me. She went rummaging in the storerooms, and found a stash of my old clothes, and now, with the exception of the school uniform, that's all she's willing to wear."

"Oh, no! I bet that drove your mother to distraction!" Tsukushi giggled.

Akira chuckled. "Yeah, after the fifth lace dress torn to shreds, my mother threw her hands in the air and quit. She says that as long as Memu wears her uniform to school and continues with her etiquette classes, she can wear what she pleases the rest of the time. Personally, I find it refreshing." He paused to gaze at the baby again. "Tsukushi, he's beautiful. Nice work."

Tsukasa stopped wrestling with Soujiro long enough to glare at Akira. "I had something to do with it too, you know."

"That's right, nice genes, Mister Sperm Donor!" Soujiro quipped, earning himself a renewed pummeling.

Tsukushi laughed, "Alright, you guys. Knock it off before I have Shigeru's SP come Taser you both!"

"Is _that_ who he belongs to? And I thought Misawa was scary!" Akira said.

"Speaking of scary," Tsukushi replied, noting the two men still tussling in the middle of the floor, "I mean it! If you don't stop now, I'll go get his Taser and zap you myself! You _know_ I'll do it! And if you make Tsuyoshi cry, I'll put you both on diaper duty for a month! Tsukasa, I have one word for you, which you should know if you really _did_ pay attention in class: _meconium!"_

"Ewww!" All three guys made a face as Tsukasa and Soujiro backed away from each other. Tsukushi raised an inquiring eyebrow at Soujiro. "My brother's your OB/GYN. How else?" he shrugged. Akira handed the baby to Soujiro. "Hey, Tsuyoshi, how about we blow this joint and go clubbing?" he cooed at the infant.

"Do you think you could wait until he's out of diapers before you corrupt him?" Tsukushi asked wryly.

"Okay, okay... But could I borrow him sometime? The ladies _love_ a man with a baby!"

"NO!" Tsukushi and Tsukasa shouted in unison. The infant simply yawned up at Soujiro.

"Looks like the little guy's already too jaded for the club scene," Akira kidded.

"Nah, he's just sleepy. Maybe we should clear out and let the family come visit. Tsubaki's wearing a hole in the carpet with her pacing," Soujiro commented.

"Are- are my parents here, too?" Tsukasa asked hopefully.

The other men grimaced guiltily. "Well... you know how your mother is..." Soujiro began hesitantly.

"What did she say?" Tsukasa growled dangerously.

"Um... that is... Okay," he sighed, "She waited until she found out that it was a baby boy. Then she said, 'I guess that settles it. If she had been unable to give him a male heir, I could still have made him leave her. Ah, well... C'est la guerre. I _do_ hope I can talk him into hiring a proper nanny for the child. I shudder to think how the boy will turn out if _that woman_ is allowed to raise him.' Then she said she would see her grandchild some other time, but 'someone must keep the company running', and she left," Soujiro explained apologetically. "Sorry, man."

"That bitch," Tsukasa muttered, shaking his head in disgust.

"It's her loss, Tsukasa. Don't let it get to you," Tsukushi murmured, putting a comforting arm around him.

"Besides, your dad's here," Akira added, suppressing a giggle.

"He is?" Tsukasa asked, surprised. Then his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wait, what's so funny?"

Akira glanced at Soujiro. "I don't know, should I tell them? It _is_ pretty funny."

"Why not?" he replied, "At least they're getting along."

"Why, what's going on? Who's 'they'?" Tsukushi asked.

"Your fathers," Akira explained. "They've been hanging out together for the past hour or so," he smirked.

"Seems they found a common interest," Soujiro added, grinning.

"Really? What?" Tsukushi looked puzzled.

"Gambling!" Akira laughed.

"Of course, there's a big gap between Baccarat and Pachinko," Soujiro commented.

"But then the conversation turned to horse racing..." Akira began.

"... And they're off!" Soujiro finished, bursting into a gale of laughter.

"Unreal," Tsukushi groaned, rolling her eyes.

Tsukasa turned to her. "So, think you're up to dealing with Nee-chan?"

"Might as well. By the time we've seen her, and Mom and Susumu, maybe our dads will be ready to meet their grandson," she sighed.

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_AN: __**C'est la guerre **__ means "That's war." Kind of like c'est la vie (that's life), but tougher. Meconium is a sticky, greenish-black, tar-like substance found in the newborn baby's intestines, from swallowing and digesting amniotic fluid while in the womb. It makes up the baby's first few bowel movements. Nasty business._


	17. Visitors: Tsubaki and Tama

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Visitors: Tsubaki and Tama_

Tsubaki bounced into the room with her usual boundless enthusiasm, while Tama hobbled in after her. Tama went immediately to the bassinet and began patiently unswaddling the baby. Tsubaki pounced on Tsukushi, pulling her into a violent hug. "Tsukushi-imouto-chan!!!" she shrieked. Then she threw an elbow and smacked Tsukasa in the head. "Idiot!"

"Ow! Damn it, Nee-chan, what was _that_ for?" he whined in protest.

"_That_ was for keeping me waiting while your stupid friends got to see the baby first!" she glared back at him. Then she turned back to Tsukushi, dumping the contents of a shopping bag from an upscale baby boutique on the end of the bed. "Look at _this!_ Isn't it adorable?" she cried, holding up a frothy miniature confection. "And _this! _Isn't it sweet?"

"Ano, it's very nice, Onee-san, but--" Tsukushi began, but Tsubaki cut her short.

"Oh, I can't wait! Little dresses, teeny bonnets, tiny booties, ruffled panties! My niece will be the best-dressed little girl in Japan!" she gushed.

"_Nee-chan--"_ Tsukasa tried to interrupt her rhapsodizing.

"And I found the loveliest little silk gown for her naming ceremony! By the way, what _are_ you naming her?" she prattled on.

"Tsuyoshi," Tsukasa and Tsukushi answered together.

Tsubaki stopped, stunned. "Tsuyoshi? But that isn't very feminine."

Tama chuckled from across the room. "No, young mistress, it isn't. But I think it's a very good name for your nephew here." Then she turned to Tsukasa and Tsukushi. "So, young master, I guess that thing I saw when I changed your diapers _wasn't _made of clay, after all. And you, young mistress, I see you _do_ know how to make a baby. This one's a fine one!"

"Tama!" "Tama-Sempai!" Tsukasa and Tsukushi hollered as one, their faces blazing crimson at the salty old woman's commentary.

Tsubaki looked around in bewilderment, noticing the balloon bouquet for the first time. "A b-boy? But- but that's _absurd!"_ she stammered, beginning to pace. "Tsukushi, how can that be? _Your_ parents had a girl first. _Our_ parents had a girl first. I just assumed you two would have a little girl, a beautiful, tough little girl who would keep her baby brother in line, and whose Auntie Tsubaki would teach her everything she knows! How could you have a boy?!?"

"Miss Tsubaki, calm yourself!" Tama snapped. "Don't act like a fool! Leave that to your brother!"

"But this is a disaster! I didn't buy anything for a boy! Whatever will he wear? My nephew is going home naked!!!" she cried, holding up the little dresses in despair.

"Tama-Sempai, did you remember to pack that smaller bag for me?" Tsukushi asked her.

"Of course, young mistress," she smiled, still playing with the baby.

"Tsukasa, will you bring me the small grey bag from the closet?" she smiled up at him.

He did so, and the siblings watched, curious, as she began pulling bits of clothing from it. She held up one small, soft, somewhat shapeless one-piece garment.

"What is _that?"_ Tsubaki inquired, confused.

"It's a sleeper,' Tsukushi explained. "I also have onesies and t-shirts and little sleep sacks."

"But it looks so... plain," Tsubaki complained, disappointed.

"Yes, but _feel,"_ Tsukushi handed her the sleeper.

Tsubaki took the little garment, then rubbed it against her cheek. "It's so soft!" she exclaimed, delighted.

Tama chuckled. "Yes, Miss Tsubaki, and when _you_ were a baby, I would change you into something like this every time that foolish governess your mother hired left the room. Lace is itchy, and an itchy child is a fussy child."

"Yes, and it's a lot easier to keep a child content when he's comfortable," Tsukushi agreed. "So you don't have to worry, Onee-san, your nephew has a suitable selection of comfy little outfits to wear."

"But why were there no... sleepers? Okay, sleepers... in the shops _I_ went to?" she wondered.

Tsukushi and Tama shared a knowing look. "Had they had such a thing, would you have purchased it?" Tsukushi asked rhetorically. "Now, instead of fussing over baby clothes, why don't you come meet your nephew, Onee-san? He's much more fuss-worthy, I think."


	18. Afterwards: Lucky

**Disclaimer: **As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from **Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers**. If I did, this wouldn't be _fan_ fiction, now would it? wink

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Luck and Miracles**

**A Hana Yori Dango FanFic**

**By Janice Rips**

_Afterwards: Lucky_

Finally, an hour or so later, all the visitors, family and friends, had cleared out, leaving the new parents to rest and catch their breath. Tsukasa pulled Tsukushi into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry," he murmured into her hair.

"What? Why?" she stared up at him, bewildered.

"Because I broke my promise. I didn't mean to, but still... I said I would be here for you and I wasn't. I wanted to be, but... and it just seems like I'm never there when it's important to you. Maybe I..." he trailed off, dispirited.

"Tsukasa, what brings this on? Are you... unhappy about our baby?" she asked, unsure how to read his mood.

"No! No, never think that! I'm really, _really_ happy! It's just... I feel like I don't deserve this: the most wonderful woman in the world as my wife, a beautiful newborn son, the opportunity to do things differently than my parents did... All I've ever done is hurt people and break things. Then I look at Rui: he's gentle, he's kind, he's reliable... he would never have missed his kid's birth... but I have all this, and he doesn't. it just doesn't seem fair, somehow," he finished softly, hanging his head.

She took his face in her hands and looked deeply into his eyes. "Baka. You're gentle and kind when it counts. You always, _always_ save me. You're annoyingly persistent about it," she gently teased. "And you're warm. It's like when I took your shirt this morning. Your love wraps around me. It keeps me warm and safe, and I know I'll never be cold and alone again."

"Then you don't regret it? Marrying me, having my son, any of it? After all, we've been through so much," he gazed back, yearning for acceptance clear in his eyes.

"That's it exactly: _We've_ been through so much. You and I. Together or apart, it's still _'we'._ I don't regret any of it. And now look at that baby, sleeping there. _We_ did that! _We_ created that, together. It's such a miracle," she whispered.

"_You're_ the miracle," he corrected. "I'm so lucky. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mr. Lucky. Now, while our little 'miracle' is sleeping, why don't we take a nap? I'm exhausted," she smiled softly. She snuggled closer with a sigh, and drifted off to sleep. He watched with bemused adoration as his family slept. His family. He was the luckiest man alive.

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_AN: Eighteen chapters later, the muse finally stopped shaking me by the scruff of the neck. Gee Starr, I hope you liked it. Remember, real life isn't usually this wack! And now I'll shackle myself to my desk once more and get back to work on my other huge project..._


End file.
